Sipitang folks bemoan unusable, dangerous road

Daily Express

2 days ago

Published on: Thursday, May 29, 2025
Published on: Thu, May 29, 2025
By: Ahmad Apong Text Size: The damaged road from Ulu Bole to Long Pasia. SIPITANG: Residents living along the road from Basio and Meligan to Long Pasia are urging the concessionaire, Lestari Enterprise, to carry out immediate maintenance work as the road has deteriorated to a dangerous and unusable condition. A resident, Jeniffer Opai, speaking on behalf of the community, contacted the Daily Express to highlight the urgency of the situation. She said the poor state of the road has made it extremely difficult for road users, even those with four-wheel-drive vehicles, to travel. 'Many four-wheel-drive users get stuck in deep mud, making it nearly impossible to transport food supplies and other essentials to Long Pasia,' she said. She recalled tragic past incidents where patients died en route because ambulances could not reach them, and a heavily pregnant woman was forced to deliver her baby on the road after failing to reach a hospital in time. The damaged road is also impacting the livelihoods of the villagers, most of whom are farmers who depend on selling vegetables in Sipitang town. 'How long must we endure this? Many are in tears because they've lost their income due to the impassable road,' Jeniffer said.
Advertisement She highlighted the issue of how the Ministry of Health's ambulances could deliver medicine to Long Pasia or transport patients from surrounding villages if the roads remain inaccessible. 'What happens if food supplies run out and can't be brought in from Sipitang?' she said. The seriousness of the situation was highlighted on Saturday when several four-wheel-drive vehicles, including a crew from TV3, were stranded and unable to enter Long Pasia due to the road's poor condition. A school clerk, Yoanes Paras, interviewed by TV3, also shared his experience. Originally from Tenom, he has worked and lived in Kampung Ulu Bole for over 10 years and regularly endures hazardous road conditions to fulfil his duties. 'I have experienced so many incidents over the years and often been stranded in the middle of the road and had to ask others to tow my vehicle,' he said. He said that the government must prioritise upgrading the road, saying that, 'As long as it is not upgraded, forget about any hopes of developing the surrounding villages or Long Pasia.' He also noted that the potential for community-based tourism in Long Pasia, such as homestays, is severely hampered by the poor road access. 'Forget tourists, even the villagers themselves are fed up with using this road,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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